A key into the language of America, or, An help to the language of the natives in that part of America called New-England together with briefe observations of the customes, manners and worships, &c. of the aforesaid natives, in peace and warre, in life and death : on all which are added spirituall observations, generall and particular, by the authour ... / by Roger Williams ...

CHAP. XXVII. Of their Hunting, &c. (Book 27)

VVEe shall not name over the severall sorts of Beasts which we named in the Chapter of Beasts.

The Natives hunt two wayes:

First, when they pursue their game (espe∣cially Deere, which is the generall and won∣derfull plenteous hunting in the Countrey:) I say, they pursue in twentie, fortie, fiftie, yea, two or three hundred in a company, (as I have seene) when they drive the woods be∣fore them.

Secondly, They hunt by Traps of severall sorts, to which purpose, after they have ob∣serued in Spring-time and Summer the haunt of the Deere, then about Harvest, they goe ten or twentie together, and sometimes more, and withall (if it be not too farre) wives and children also, where they build up little hun∣ting houses of Barks and Rushes (not com∣parable to their dwelling houses) and so each man takes his bounds of two, three, or foure miles, where hee sets thirty, forty, or fiftie

Traps, and baits his Traps with that food the Deere loves, and once in two dayes he walks his round to view his Traps.

Ntauchaûmen.	I goe to hunt.
Ncáttiteam weeyoùs.	I long for Venison.
Auchaûtuck.	Let us hunt.
Nowetauchaûmen.	I will hunt with you.
Anúmwock.	Dogs.
Kemehétteas.	Creepe.
Pitch nkemehétteem	I will creepe.
Pumm púmmoke.	Shoote.
Uppetetoûa.	A man shot accidentally.
Ntaumpauchaûmen.	I come from hunting.
Cutchashineánna?	How many have you kild
Nneesnneánna.	I have kild two.
Shwinneānna.	Three.
Nyowinneánna.	Foure.
Npiuckwinneanna.	Ten, &c.
Nneesneechecttash•…•…n∣neanna.	Twentie.
Nummouashâwmen.	I goe to set Traps.
Apè hana.	Trap, Traps.
Asháppock.	Hempe.
Masaûnock.	Flaxe.
Wuskapéhana.	New Traps.
Eataúbana.	Old Traps.

Obs. They are very tender of their Traps where they lie, and what comes at them; for

they say, the Deere (whom they conceive have a Divine power in them) will soone smell and be gone.

Npunnowwâumen.	I must goe to my Traps.
Nummishkommin.	I have found a Deere;

Which sometimes they doe, taking a Wolfe in the very act of his greedy prey, when some∣times (the Wolfe being greedy of his prey) they kill him: sometimes the Wolfe having glutted himselfe with the one halfe, leaves the other for his next bait; but the glad Indian finding of it, prevents him.

And that wee may see how true it is, that all wild creatures, and many tame, prey upon the poore Deere (which are there in a right Embleme of Gods persecuted, that is, hunted people, as I observed in the Chapter of Beasts according to the old and true saying:

Imbelles Damae quid nisi praeda sumus?

To harmlesse Ro•…•…s and Does, Both wilde and tame are foes.)

I remember how a poore Deere was long hunted and chased by a Wolfe, at last (as their manner is) after the chase of ten, it may be more miles running, the stout Wolfe tired out the nimble Deere, and seasing upon it,

kill'd: In the act of devouring his prey, two English Swine, big with Pig, past by, assaulted the Wolfe, drove him from his prey, and de∣voured so much of that poore Deere, as they both surfeted and dyed that night.

The Wolfe is an Embleme of a fierce blood∣sucking persecutor.

The Swine of a covetous rooting world∣ling, both make a prey of the Lord Jesus in his poore servants.

Ncummóotamúck qun natóqus.

The Wolfe hath rob'd me.

Obs. When a Deere is caught by the leg in the Trap, sometimes there it lies a day toge∣ther before the Indian come, and so lies a pray to the ranging Wolfe, and other wild Beasts (most commonly the Wolfe) who sea∣seth upon the Deere and robs the Indian (at his first devouring) of neere halfe his prey, and if the Indian come not the sooner, heē makes a second greedie Meale, and leaves him nothing but the bones, and the torne Deere∣skins, especially if he call some of his gree∣dy Companions to his bloody banquet.

Upon this the Indian makes a falling trap called Sunnúckhig, (with a great weight of stones) and so sometimes knocks the Wolfe

on the head, with a gainefull Revenge, espe∣cially if it bee a blacke Wolfe, whose Skins they greatly prize.

Nanowwussu.	It is leane.
Wauwunnockôo.	It is fat.
Weékan.	It is sweet.
Machemóqut.	It smells ill.
Anit.	It is putrified.
Poquêfu Poskáttuck & Missêsu.	Halfe a Deere.
Kuttiomp.	A whole Deere.
Paucottaúwat.	A Buck.
Wawúnnes.	A young Buck.
Qunnèke.	A Doe.
Aunàn.	A Fawne.
Moósqin.	Thus thick of fat.
Yo asipaúgon Noónatch, or, attuck ntiyu.	I hunt Venison.
Mishánneke ntiyu.	I hunt a Squirrill.
Paukunnawaw ntio.	I hunt a Beare, &c.
Wusséke.	The hinder part of the Deere.
•…•…pome-ichàsh.	Thigh: Th•…•…ghes.
•…•…ppèke-quòck.	Shoulder, shoulders:
•…•…uskàn,	A bone.
•…•…ussúckqun	A taile.

Awemanittin.	Their Rutting time.
Paushinummin.	To divide.
Paushinummaua∣tittea.	Let us divide.

This they doe when a Controversie falls out, whose the Deere should bee.

Caúskashunck,

The Deere skin.

Obs. Púmpom: a tribute Skin when a Deere (hunted by the Indians, or Wolves) is kild in the water. This skin is carried to the Sachim or Prince, within whose territory the Deere was slaine.

Ntaumpowwushau∣men.

I come from hunting.

Generall Observation of their hunting.

There is a blessing upon endeavour, even to the wildest Indians; the sluggard rosts not that which he tooke in hunting but the substance of the diligent (either in earthly or heavenly affaires) is precious, Prov. 25.

More particular:

Great pains in hunting th' Indians Wild, And eke the English tame; Both take, in woods and forrests thicke, To get their precious game.

Pleasure and Profit, Honour false, (The wordl's great Trinitie) Drive all men through all wayes, all, times, All weathers, wet and drie.

Pleasure and Profits Honour, sweet, Eternall, sure and true, Laid up in God, with equall paines; Who seekes, who doth pursue?